Miniature bowling apparatus



S. L. LONG MINIATURE BOWLING APPARATUS May 3, 1949.

Filed Aug. 17,- 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 3, 1949. s. 1.. LONG MINIATUREBOWLING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 17, 1945 May 3, 1949. s.L. LONG 2,469,236

MINIATURE BOWLING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 17, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 5' I [712 4 11/01 51091: yZ Lin 73g 77/3: %4//7ry Patented May 3, 1949 U N [T EDSTATES FATE-N CE 2,469,236 lVIININIT-URE BOWLING APPARATUS SidneyL...Lcng, Minneapolis, Minn. Application-August 17, 1945-Sei-ialNo.611,192'

'7 Claims.

My present invention relatestto improvements in: miniature bowlingapparatus and, .moretpar-z ticularly, to a foldablewminiature'ioowlingapparatus .that can be -setup and :a game played in=a room or outoffldoors. 1

This bowling apparatus includes pivoted pins that arenupset by-throwingor rolling a ball.

The objects .of this invention :are: firstto provide. means .for.'stoppinglithe' vball after :it

strikes one or more of the 'pins, and in returning-the ball to thethrower; second, in provide ing a nove'l meanszfor returning the pinsto.upright positionsg-andthird, in providing common means .forv lockingthe bowling apparatus in either its-set up or folded positions.

These and :other objects of the invention will be apparent fromzthefollowing-description,-.ref+ erence being had to the drawings-.:

To the above endygenerally stated, the in.- vention consistsfiof'the'nove'l divic'es'randcombinationofdevices hereinafter-described anddefined in theclaims;

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention, likecharacters indicate-like parts throughout the severalviews.

Referring tothe drawings: '1

Fig. 1 is a side-elevationoi the bowlingapparatus;

Fig.-=2 is a view-in section taken on theline 2-4 of Fig. 4,;

Fig. 3 is a view partly in rear .elevation and partly in sectiontakenon-the line -3--3-of Fig.1;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of'the bowling apparatus;

Fig. 5 is a view partly in front elevation and partly in section takenon the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. .6 is .a .rearelevation of the bowlingaapparatus folded;

Fig. "I. is a view in section takenonthe line 1-1 of Fig-6;

Fig. 8 isia detail view with .someparts sectioned on the line 8 8 ofFig. '7;

Fig-9 is an elevation of a ball. and a devicefor throwing thesame; and

Fig. 10 is a plan .view of the .parts shown .in Fig. 9 with a portion ofthehandlbroken away and sectioned.

The numeral ll indicates a grid .comprisinga rectangular frame l2 and aplurality of upright spindles 13. The spindles l3 are laterallynspacedapart to leave pin passageways l lLtherebetween.

The-sidelmembers o'f-theframe [2 are extended below said frame to afforda pair of legs l5.

A'platform.-.l.6..is supported on side members I! between which the gridll extends. These side members all are: pivoted -.at 1-8: to the side A:plurality members: of ethe frame-H; The platform l6.is upwardlyinclinediandzthelower or outer ends of the side members; 11 ere-lbeveledatv [9 ';to bring-ut'he front edgei of' saidx platform "close to thefloor or grounds The grid. lies in..a plane perpendicular 1 to1=thenplatiormi' 1'6 and therefore is a iorwardlyinclined position.

The grid H i and the platform .1 6 arerel-easably held against:relativea pivotal movement by; latch bars 20 2 These: latch: bars?!).are I intermediately pivotedsat .Zlitoithe.s'deemembersof the frame=l2and extend into transverse no'tches 22 in the .platformside:.membersz1 I. H'Ihe upper "end: portions ofthe 'latchwbars 2 0T are: turnedoutwardly totafiordwfinger-piec'es: 23. a

The platform" l-G is'provided: with a pair of outwardlyxdiverging -sideboards: 24. The side boards 24'. are: detacha'blyasecured "to the frame1 2.- by separable fasteners-2'5. These side boards 24 are alsodeta'chably. secured to the platform side members rflbyllegsa'lii on-said side-boards. These :1egs 26 extend into grooves 21 in the sidem'embernll! and are held: :thereinby keeper plates: 2-8. Iofxzbowlingzpins '29 are pivotally mountedon a horizontal. vrod: thatextends parallel to the grid II. The end portions of the rod. 30=aresecuredcrinz :alignedzholes .in the. platform side. membersi 1randiblocksf3 l on the inner faces of-saidmembers; Sleeves -32: on therod 3il-hold the pins 29i spa'ced from the frame l2 and: from; eachother; .There is a passageway 14 for each pin 29vand the: pins':29fiarefree to swing through: the passageways "ii 4. Normally, theipins 2Eengageitheupper e'dgesof the platform 16 as a stop, and are heldtherebyin'forwardly inclinedslpositionsrthataarer parallel to the planeof :theagrid l Wherrthezpinsrll) are in upright positions, they:extend'. obliquely through the passageways l-l' and theirupperlportions" are back oi the grid Hp When the .pins :2'9Lare struckby -a ball,..as will presently appeanrtheyr-swing rearwardpnthe rod-'30'--through theipassagewayi and into horizontal positionssinziwhic'hetheyl rest :on the transversemember Ofua, abail-llike" rod3.1 Dhe arms of the. rod- 33 1-ie-.clos'ei;to: the .inner'. faces of.the side :members-ot the frame l2 :andutheir free 'end portions areturnedzoutwardly to afford pivots; 34 thata-extend-ri-nto. alignedholes:.-.34 in the :platiormrside" membersslil; The a'rms of the rod'extend: rover the .two outermost spacing sleeves": 3L 3 The'zrod 33isrhel'd' in; substantially a horizontal position by apain:oircabless35lthatextend through 3 eyes 36 on the upper end portionsof the side members of the frame l2. Rings 31 attached to the upper endportions of the cable 35 engage the eyes 36 as stops.

By pulling on one of the rings 31, the rod 33 may be lifted and carriesthe pins 29 resting thereon into upright positions beyond dead center,and from these positions they will swing forwardly by the forceofgravity and bepositioned against the upper edge portion of the platformIt.

When the ring 37, by which the rod 33 has been lifted, is released, saidrod will drop by the action of gravity and be stopped by the cables 35in its horizontal position.

For the sake of convenience, the rod 33 may be lifted to reset the pinsby a long cable 38 attached at one of its ends to one of the rings 37.The action end of the cable 38 is attached to a spool 39 on which it maybe wound when not in use. This remote control of the rod 33 in resettingthe pins 29 makes it unnecessary for the players to walk to theapparatus to reset the pins 29. The spool 39 is removably held on thebent upper end portion of the rod 40 stuck in the ground close to theplayer.

The bowling apparatus also includes a relatively large hollow rubberball 4| and a novel device 42 for throwing the ball. This device 42includes a handle 43 having attached thereto four light spring fingers44 by which the ball 4| is releasably held. In throwing the ball 4|, thedevice 42 is held as positioned in Fig. 9 and when swung forwardly,gives said ball sufficient momentum to release itself from the springfingers 44.

The use of the throwing device 42 in connection With the bowlingapparatus, is highly important for the reason that the ball 4| is thrownclose to the ground and either strikes the pins 29 directly or strikesthe floor or ground, rolls up the platform i6 and strikes said pins. Theball 4| is of such size that it will not pass through one of the pinpassageways l4 and, when thrown or rolled, will strike the grid rolldown the platform I6 and be returned to the thrower. The side boards 24prevent the ball 4|, after striking the grid II, from being deflectedlaterally from the platform l6.

The bowling apparatus may be folded by turning the latch bars 20 intoinoperative position and in moving the grid II and platform It pivotallyinto a common plane. The grid H and platform It are held in foldedrelation by turning the latch bars 20 into grooves 45 in the inner facesof the platform side member II. It will thus be seen that the latch bars20 serve a double purpose, to wit: they look the grid H and platform Itin both operative and inoperative positions. To complete the folding ofthe apparatus, the pins 29 are placed against the rod 33 and held thereby the rod 40. One end of the rod 4&3 is inserted, at its straight end,into a hole 46 in one of the platform side members I! and its head orbent end is placed in a recess 41 in the other of said side members andheld there by a turn-button 48. Before the grid H and the platform l6are folded, the side boards 24 are removed therefrom, placed the oneupon the other on the under side of said platform and secured thereto byan L-screw 49. This screw 49 has threaded engagement with the platformI6, extends through aligned slots 50 in the side boards 24 and its headis turned into overlapping engagement with the uppermost side board 24.The remote control cable 38 is wound on the spool Y39 and said spoolplaced on a spindle secured 1. In an apparatus of the class described, a

plurality of upright pins pivotally mounted to be upset rearwardly whenstruck by a ball, and a ball-stopping grid back of the upright pins andthrough which grid the pins extend when upset.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, a

plurality of upright pins pivotally mounted to be upset rearwardly whenstruck by a ball, a ballstopping grid back of 'the upright pins andthrough which grid the pins extend when upset, and means for returningthe upset pins through the grid to normal positions.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, a plurality of forwardlyinclined upright pins pivotally mounted to be upset rearwardly whenstruck by a ball, a forwardly inclined ballstopping grid back of theupright pins and through which grid, a pivoted bail-like member on thetransverse portion of which the pins rest when upset, and means forswinging said member to lift the pins beyond dead centers, whereby theforce of gravity will return the pins through the grid to theirforwardly inclined positions.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, a plurality of upright pinspivotally mounted to be upset rearwardly when struck by a ball, aball-stopping grid back of the upright pins and through which grid thepins extend when upset, and an inclined platform leading to the pins.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, a plurality of upright pinspivotally mounted to be upset rearwardly when struck by a ball, aballstopping grid back of the upright pins and through which grid thepins extend when upset, an inclined platform leading to the pins, andhaving ball-intercepting side members.

6. In an apparatus of the class described, a ball-stopping grid, aninclined platform pivotally attached to said grid, a plurality ofupright pins pivotally mounted on the platform forwardly of the grid tobe upset rearwardly through the grid when struck by a ball, means forreturning the upset pins through the grid to normal positions, and alatch for holding the grid and the platform substantially perpedicularto each other or folded into substantially the same plane.

7. In an apparatus of the class described, a platform having sidemembers, a ball-stopping grid having supporting legs and extendingtransversely between said members, said platform and grid beingpivotally connected, a plurality of pins pivotally mounted on theplatform to be upset rearwardly through the grid when struck by a ball,means for returning the upset pins through the grid to normal positions,and a pair of latches on the grid for interlocking engagement with theside members of the platform at different points to hold the platformand the grid either substantially perpendicular, the one to the other,or substantially in the same plane.

SIDNEY L. LONG,

(References on following page) REFERENCES CITED The following referencesare of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 Number Name Date 946,709 Staebler J an. 18, 19101,214,252 Yamamoto J an. 30,1917 1,357,778 Jacobs Nov. 2, 1920 10 Number

